If you have cables in your facility that you aren’t currently using, you will want to make sure that they are stored away in a safe way. Cables can be quite costly, especially when they are very long. Keeping them in good working condition will help ensure they will be there when you need them. Whether these are cables that you bought and haven’t yet had to use, or you have disconnected them from a system during an upgrade or other event, these cable storage tips can be helpful.Organize Cables by Type: There are many different types of cables out there that a facility may have to keep on hand. Keeping each type separately will help make it easier to grab what is needed when they are ready to be used again. Different types of cables can look quite similar, so keeping them in separate boxes or rolls will help to avoid any potential confusion, which could result in delays or other issues.Keep Cables in Safe Location: Cables need to be kept in a safe location when not in use. This means they should not be exposed to water or high humidity, they should not be crushed or stretched, and they can’t be cut or otherwise damaged. Placing unused cables in a storage closet or other secured location is a great way to ensure they will be in good working order when they are needed again.Mark Cables or Boxes: No matter how the cables are stored, you should either mark the cables, or mark the boxes they are being kept in, so they are easily identifiable. Placing markings on them will make it faster for the next person who needs them to grab exactly what is required and get to work right away.Roll and Secure Cables Properly: Cables can be extremely long, which can make them difficult to store. When putting them away, it is best to roll them up into a circle. Make sure you know how to properly roll each different type of cable, however, or you could end up causing damage. Cat5 cable, for example, can be wrapped up in a coil that is tighter than would be safe for fiber optic cables. Ideally you should place unused cable back onto the spool or other item that it came on so you can be confident that it won’t be damaged when stored for future use. Similar Questions How can wires be organized in a drawer?How can cables be effectively organized?What is the standard for labeling network cables?How do wire color codes improve safety?What are wire marking standards?What does the neutral wire do?What is wire marking?What should be included on a wire label?What does the red stripe on a ribbon cable indicate?Additional Resources Cable ManagementCreating an Effective Warehouse Storage Numbering System with BarcodesANSI TIA 606-B Cable Labeling StandardsTool Storage IdeasAnhydrous Ammonia – Safety & Labeling

How can cables be organized for storage?

Wire Marking

If you have cables in your facility that you aren’t currently using, you will want to make sure that they are stored away in a safe way. Cables can be quite costly, especially when they are very long. Keeping them in good working condition will help ensure they will be there when you need them. Whether these are cables that you bought and haven’t yet had to use, or you have disconnected them from a system during an upgrade or other event, these cable storage tips can be helpful.

Organize Cables by Type: There are many different types of cables out there that a facility may have to keep on hand. Keeping each type separately will help make it easier to grab what is needed when they are ready to be used again. Different types of cables can look quite similar, so keeping them in separate boxes or rolls will help to avoid any potential confusion, which could result in delays or other issues.
Keep Cables in Safe Location: Cables need to be kept in a safe location when not in use. This means they should not be exposed to water or high humidity, they should not be crushed or stretched, and they can’t be cut or otherwise damaged. Placing unused cables in a storage closet or other secured location is a great way to ensure they will be in good working order when they are needed again.
Mark Cables or Boxes: No matter how the cables are stored, you should either mark the cables, or mark the boxes they are being kept in, so they are easily identifiable. Placing markings on them will make it faster for the next person who needs them to grab exactly what is required and get to work right away.
Roll and Secure Cables Properly: Cables can be extremely long, which can make them difficult to store. When putting them away, it is best to roll them up into a circle. Make sure you know how to properly roll each different type of cable, however, or you could end up causing damage. Cat5 cable, for example, can be wrapped up in a coil that is tighter than would be safe for fiber optic cables. Ideally you should place unused cable back onto the spool or other item that it came on so you can be confident that it won’t be damaged when stored for future use.